**Spring Reading Challenge - 1/9/15 - 30/11/15**

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Brenda wrote: "Finished my 12th - #3 Down - Friend's TBR (Julie) - The Clairvoyant's Glasses by Helen Goltz 5★s

Review to follow closer to publication"

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Janine]

I have finished my 3rd
#5 Down Set in another country
Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos 1*

[Tien]

I've read 2 but have only just reviewed one... Young Adult by Aussie Author: Cloudwish by Fiona Wood. In very few words: the Asian equivalent of Looking for Alibrandi and I LOVE it! You can peek at my full review, here

There's also a giveaway on my blog, here -I'll post in the giveaway folder...

[Steve]

I have finished my second, Science fiction from 5 across, The Light Fantastic, with my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Up next is Suspense or Crime from 5 across, Visions in Death.

[Anna]

finished Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
now onto Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

holiday in Samoa on Friday - looking forward to knocking off a few on the beach front :) or by the pool

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Have a wonderful holiday Anna!!

[Carolyn]

Finished #1 in 1 down, Shortlisted or won a prize Gilead by Marilynne Robinson4 ★

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 13th - #4 Across - Favourite Genre - Here We Lie by Sophie McKenzie 4.5★s

Review to follow closer to publication

[Suzie]

And... I'm off! I just read my first book for the challenge. 5 down Crime: Body Double by Tess Gerritsen. 4★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 14th - #3 Down - Random TBR - The Good Daughter by Honey Brown 4★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chris]

Finished my first last night. 2 Down - One word title: Emblaze

[Janine]

I have finished my 4th - #5 Down Suspense or Crime
Make Me by Lee Child 5*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Janine wrote: "I have finished my 4th - #5 Down Suspense or Crime
Make Me by Lee Child 5*"

I'm looking forward to this one Janine:)

[Bron]

I've finished two off my list both from 5 down

5a The Beast's Garden by Kate Forsyth. I thought this was a fantastic book, beautifully written.
5b The Rent Collector by Camron Wright I also really enjoyed this book.

[Katrina]

Loving this challenge. I am doing 2 down and 4 across.
So far i have read
Female main character Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs
Red cover The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women from the Gospels by Frank Viola
One word title Matilda by Roald Dahl
Fav genre no.1 Living Dangerously by Katie Fforde
Next up is my historical fiction.
Great idea for a challenge :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Glad you're enjoying it Katrina:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 15th - #3 Down - On Best Seller List - The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood 5★s

and my 16th - #2 Down - Favourite Genre - Desperate Deception by D.B. Tait 5★s

Reviews for both to follow closer to their publication dates:)

[Trevor]

Finished my second book, 3 Down TBR Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan 3★s

[Janine]

I have finished my 5th #2 Down Favourite Genre
Close Your Eyes by Michael Robotham 4*

[Lesley]

I've managed to read a few more off my list.

1 across

Prizewinner Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore read Sep, 1 star
Love the cover The Swan Thieves read Sep, 4 stars
2015 pub Buy Me the Sky: The remarkable truth of China’s one-child generations read Sep, 3 stars
Male character The Buddha of Suburbia currently reading
New Aus author Blindsided

2 across

Everyone read The Time Machine read Sep, 2 stars
Aus author
Current bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising read Sep, 3 stars
Reread All Quiet on the Western Front currently reading
OS set

3 across

Aus YA Seven Little Australians
HF The Return of the Native
TBR
Novella Zadig
Book to movie The African Queen read Sep, 4 stars

4 across

Longterm TBR Sons and Lovers
Fave genre
TBR
Red cover
Female character Mary Poppins

5 across

SF Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? read Sep, 2 stars
One word Shame
Aus set Grace's Table read Sep, 3 stars
Child cover
Crime,suspense The 39 Steps

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

You're doing well Lesley!

[Odette]

Here is an update of the books I have read so far for this challenge.

1(a) across - Shortlisted or has won a Prize
Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser 3.5 Stars.

1(c) across - Published this Year
At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen 4 stars

2(b) down - By An Australian Author
Bitter Nothings by by Vicki Tyley 3.5 stars

For 1(b) across and also 2(a) down - Love that Cover, I have just started to read:
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

[Steve]

Last night, I finished my third, Suspense or Crime from 5 across, Visions in Death, with my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Up next is Currently on bestseller list from 3 down, The Shepherd's Crown.

[Ian]

Finished the first book on my list under the category Historic Fiction, Andrea Barrett's The Voyage of the Narwhal, as much an inward introspection as an outer journey of Arctic exploration in the immediate ante-bellum period. Unusual and absorbing...

[Lynxie]

I finished my first... better late than never!

Aussie author: The Secret Years by Barbara Hannay ★★★★

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Brenda wrote: "Finished my 13th - #4 Across - Favourite Genre - Here We Lie by Sophie McKenzie 4.5★s

Review to follow closer to publication"

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Suzie]

Just finished my 3 across Random book: Eugenia by Mark Tedeschi. 2.5★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Brenda wrote: "Finished my 15th - #3 Down - On Best Seller List - The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood 5★s..."

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 18th - #4 Across Red Cover - Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb 5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 19th - #5 Across One Word Title - Ella by Virginia Taylor 3.5★s

Review to follow closer to publication

[Janine]

I have finished my 6th #2 Down - Historical Fiction
The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows 3*

[Trevor]

Finished my 3rd book #4 Down - A Novella The Panda Theory by Pascal Garnier - 3★s

My short review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Stef]

Updating my progress with 5 books I read over a couple of weeks but I don;t like to spend that much time on goodreads anymore (because studying)

So I have:

female main character:

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


suspense or crime:

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


tbr more than 2 years:

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


friends tbr:
review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

female main character:
review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I always appreciate the people who can be bothered liking or commenting on my reviews xo

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have finished my last book for this challenge - my 20th - #4 Down "On TBR for over 2 years" - The Nightmare Thief by Meg Gardiner 5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


5 Across

a) Science Fiction - TimeSplash by Graham Storrs 3.5★s

b) One Word Title - Ella by Virginia Taylor 3.5★s

c) Set in Australia - Patrick's Journey by Roy T. Humphreys 4.5★s

d) Child on Cover - Star Promise by G.J. Walker-Smith 5★s

e) Suspense or Crime - Crucifixion Creek by Barry Maitland 5★s

2 Down

a) Love the Cover - Wild Lands by Nicole Alexander 5★s

b) Australian Author - The Whisperer by Fiona McIntosh 5★s

c) Historical Fiction - The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks 5★s

d) Favourite Genre - Desperate Deception by D.B. Tait 5★s

e) One Word Title - Alert: by James Patterson 5★s

4 Across

a) On TBR over 2 years - The Nightmare Thief by Meg Gardiner 5★s

b) Favourite Genre - Here We Lie by Sophie McKenzie 4.5★s

c) Friend's TBR - Dying Light by Stuart MacBride Carolyn & Phrynne 3★s

d) Red Cover - Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb 5★s

e) Female Main Character - The Saddler Boys by Fiona Palmer 5★s

3 Down

a) Published 2015 - The Loft by Bette Lee Crosby 5★s

b) On Best Seller list - The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood 5★s

c) Random TBR - The Good Daughter by Honey Brown 4★s

d) Friend's TBR (Julie) - The Clairvoyant's Glasses by Helen Goltz 5★s

e) Set in Aust - The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns 4★s

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Wow! Well done!!!
You need much harder challenges Brenda. It's not even the end of September yet:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "Wow! Well done!!!
You need much harder challenges Brenda. It's not even the end of September yet:)"

Thanks Phrynne:) I thought of doing another Spring, but decided against it. I might just put more into October and November instead:) Then again I might just try to get through more of my TBR;)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Yes I must admit I like the times when challenges are done and I can just pick books at random from my TBR.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I haven't done a lot of that lately. And it's nice:) I still have a lot of ARCs and NetGalleys to read, but I can slot them in as the publication dates come near...

[Carolyn]

Finished 1 Down book 4, on the tbr for more than 2 years Perfect by Rachel Joyce 4★.

Not as good as The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry but an easy, enjoyable read.

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carolyn]

Brenda wrote: "I have finished my last book for this challenge - my 20th - #4 Down "On TBR for over 2 years" - The Nightmare Thief by Meg Gardiner 5★s

Review: https://www.goodreads..."

Wow Brenda! Can't believe you completed that so quickly. Well done!

[Lesley]

1 across

Prizewinner Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore read Sep, 1 star
Love the cover The Swan Thieves read Sep, 4 stars
2015 pub Buy Me the Sky: The remarkable truth of China’s one-child generations read Sep, 3 stars
Male character The Buddha of Suburbia read Sep, 2 stars
New Aus author Blindsided

2 across

Everyone read The Time Machine read Sep, 2 stars
Aus author
Current bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organising read Sep, 3 stars
Reread All Quiet on the Western Front re-read Sep, 4 stars
OS set A Beautiful Mind currently reading

3 across

Aus YA Seven Little Australians
HF The Return of the Native
TBR The Adventures of Tom Sawyer read Sep, 3 stars
Novella Zadig
Book to movie The African Queen read Sep, 4 stars

4 across

Longterm TBR Sons and Loverscurrently reading
Fave genre
TBR Falling Man
Red cover
Female character Mary Poppins

5 across

SF Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? read Sep, 2 stars
One word Shame
Aus set Grace's Table read Sep, 3 stars
Child cover
Crime,suspense The 39 Steps

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carolyn wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I have finished my last book for this challenge - my 20th - #4 Down "On TBR for over 2 years" - The Nightmare Thief by Meg Gardiner 5★s

Review: https:..."

Thanks Carolyn:) I can't either, especially with how long it took me to finish Winter!

[Anna]

Brenda wrote: "Have a wonderful holiday Anna!!"

thanks....it was a truly beautiful country..did not read as much as plannned. but have plenty of time still!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Anna wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Have a wonderful holiday Anna!!"

thanks....it was a truly beautiful country..did not read as much as plannned. but have plenty of time still!"

Glad you had a great time!

[Nicola]

Finished my first Bingo - 1across
1 across
1a Prize book Proxima / Stephen Baxter
1b Love that cover The Goblin King / Shona Husk
1c Published this year Kitchens of the Great Midwest / J. Ryan Stradal
1d Male character Blood Work / Michael Connelly
1e new author to me The Other Side of the World / Stephanie Bishop

and already on the second book for my 1 down!

[Sally906]

Phrynne wrote: "Yes I must admit I like the times when challenges are done and I can just pick books at random from my TBR."

Same here :)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

But the challenges are fun too:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "But the challenges are fun too:)"

Haha! I love the challenges:)

[Steve]

Last night, I finished my fourth, Currently on bestseller list from 3 down, The Shepherd's Crown, with my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Up next is One-word title from 5 across, Seveneves.

[Suzie]

I've finished 3 across Novella: A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood. 3★